Punch press feeding device



A. N. NYQUlST PUNCH PRESS FEEDING DEVICE Aug. 28, 1951 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 21, 1946 \nuanfpr M (Momma A. N. NYQUIST PUNCH PRESS FEEDING DEVICE Aug. 28, 1951 9 Sheets-$heet 2 Filed Jan, 21 1946 \m c'nfor AH h ur NNgquisfi Aug. 28, 1951 A. N. NYQUIST 2,566,243

PUNCH PRESS FEEDING DEVICE Filed Jan. 21, 1946 9 Sheets-Sheet s \nuenfor Es Arfhur NNgqmsf A g- 1.951 r A. NYQUISET 6,

PUNCH PRESS FEEDING DEVICE Filed Jan. 21, 1946 a Sheets-Sheet 4:

. M flrihurNNysqms 5 49,32; w

Aug. 28, 1951 NYQUIST 2,566,243

PUNCH PRESS FEEDING DEVICE Filed Jan. 21, 1946 9 Sheets-$heet 5 3 \nuemor 3 firfhurNNggmsT r A. N. NYQUIST PUNCH PRESS FEEDING DEVICE Filed Jan. 21, 1946 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Al1g- 23, 1951 A. N. NYQUIST PUNCH PRESS FEEDING DEVICE 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Jan. 21 1946 Knuenfor Armur NNgquksT Aug. 28, 1951 A. N. NYQUIST 2,566,243

PUNCH PRESS FEEDING DEVICE Filed Jan. 21, 1946 9 Sheets-Sheet s -0'-- 1 8 106. Inuenfor I HrfhurN Ngquisf B W Aug. 28, 1951 A, N NYQUlST 2,566,243

v PUNCH PRESS FEEDING DEVICE Filed Jan. 21, 1946 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 l J Inunfor (\vmxv N N gwgii 1 D BSWM 6226 WWW Patented Aug. 28, 1951 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE .7

J y 2,566,243 j I f f PUNCH PRESS FEEDING DEVICE Arthur N. Nyquist, Grand Rapids,;l\/Iich.,assignor I s to Winters & Qrampton Corporation, Granville,

M c -,a rnore i n of an i I Application January 21, 1346, Serial No. 642,580 r .This invention relates to a novel and very practical control of punch press. feeding of material which is to be operatedupon in thepress.

In punch presses, which utilize a. dial feed or other feed equivalent thereto, the automatic movement of the .dial or equivalent means .on which the work is placed in succession is, in gen: eral, by means of a mechanism directly operated by the crank of the. punch press. Therefore, the speed. of feeding the workis directly dependent upon the speed of the punch press crank and flywheel. As a result when a slowing down of feeding or indexing requires a slowing down of the crank and flywheel connected. thereto, the slowing down of feed in general will occur with the heavier articles which are .to be worked upon, while smaller and lighter articles may befed more rapidly and thus the indexing correspondingly stepped up. Therefore, whenthe indexing is directly controlled and operated by the punch press crank, a slowing down and a diminishing of the stored-up power in the flywheel occurs under conditions cited above, whichlimits the work any given punch press can do, depending on the size of the fly wheel. l H v With my invention, the power means for the indexing of a dial or equivalent, feed is somewhat separated from the crank and flywheel of the punch press and mechanism is, provided for aseparate accomplishment ofthe indexing and the movements of a dial or conveyor feeding means which carries the. work, the speed of which is controllable over a wide range to give an operator the necessary time to, properly place the work; and at the same time the speed of rotation of the crank and flywheel of the punch press maybe made anything desired and that which is best for theparticular work which is being done. Fur? thermore, the dial diameteris theoretically unlimited and can Withproper indexing, be. made as large or as small as desired within the range provided on any given punch press.

It is an object and purpose of the present invention to obtain the functions and results above stated in a practical, useful, novel and effective manner. It is further an object of the invention.

to provide a mechanism for the purposes stated which is operated pneumatically, or may be operated by a combination of pneumatic and hydraulic pressure forces.

In connection with the invention and its practical operation when applied to a punch press and also the dial feed when applied to other machines than punch presses, various safeguarding controls are desirableand, with my invention, are

8 Claims. (Cl. 164-87) provided, such as a means to protect the operator by. an automatic stopping of the punohrpress should the operator bring his hand within the range of danger from the descending ramof the press, the hand of the operator undersuch conditions engaging and. moving a shield, the move: ment of which automatically insures against the punch pressram .beingtripped and operated until the shield is returned to its protecting position. Further, under circumstanceswwhich require it, a kick-out or. knock-out. mechanism is provided, also pneumatically; operated, which ejects or kicks outthe finished work after ithas beenop: erated upon in the press without the operator being requiredto remove it, There is also a novel and practical means provided to. prevent and stop operaticnofthe rampfthe punch press if the dial is improperly indexed Also positive means for locking, the movingdial or'other equivalent carrying means for the work is provided to hold such means from, movement during the punch;- ing, operation, and which means is very much less subject to ,wear and is easierto repair thanthe conventional meansnow in use., I H

The disclosure made is in connection with punch presses, but theinvention in various parts of it is not solely limitedthereto. For example, the automatic indexing and movement ofthe parts, to be processed, Itoproper position, ,the stopping at such position,,the release and move-. ment away after theprocess hasbeen completed for another article to be processed to move in its place, the placing of thearticles in the dial or, other moving part whichcarries them and thesafeguarding against injury may have the constructions accomplishing such objects and pur poses applied toymany different machines, one for example a machine for, doing, drilling work upon articles. Therefore, while the invention is disclosed applied to one form of machine, it ;is not to belimited to punch presses alone. The objects andpurposes recitedandothers not enumerated and novel construction for the at tainment of the same, :will appearand be understood from the, following description, taken in connection with the accompanying: drawings, inWhic-h, M L Fig. ,1 isaside elevation illustrating apunch press equipped withniy invention in one ofits o J .7. Rig, 2 is a side elevation of a punch press, the structure being modified to provide an endless conveyor instead of a turning dial or disk carrier for the work tobe processed, j H A .3 i a a e ita iy i e e ation 9 th upper part of the mechanism shown in Fig. l, at the opposite side of the press.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan, partly in section, illustrating the dial carrier for the work and the means utilized for moving it about a vertical axis.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation thereof, in both Figs. 4 and 5, the protecting shield being shown.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic layout of the pneumatic control which is utilized with the invention, as disclosed in Fig, 1, and in which the circuits for compressed air or other pneumatic force are shown. v V v Fig. 7 is a similar diagrammatic layout of combined pneumatic and hydraulic circuits utilized with the form of inventionshownin Fig. -1.

Fig. 8 is a third diagrammatic layout of a-pneumatic control utilized when the -circular dial'or disk work carrier is replaced by an endless conveyor.

Fig. 9 is a plan of the endless conveyor work carrier.

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal vertical section therethrough. 7

Figs. 11 and '12 are "detail views in elevation showing the positive stop mechanism applied to the endless conveyor feed illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, and

'Fig. 13 is a central :horizontal section therethrough.

"Like reference characters refer to like parts in the difierentfigures of the'drawings.

The supporting structure for the punch press may comprise an under support or base I and a housing 2 which may be mounted for a pivotal adjustment about a horizontal'a-xisat the front of the machine, such" structure in itself being of the environment to which'the invention is applied, and not new. A shaft "3 is mounted for-rotation at 'the upper'end of the housing and is divided into two parts between its ends in the usual manner with a clutch which maybetripped to connect the two parts for rotation. One-end of the shaft 3 in-the-operation of the machi'ne is continuously driven through a *fly'wheel-il'secured thereto, with a belt 5 around itand around a drivingpulley upon rthe shaft of a motor 6 carried on a bracket "I -secured" to the-upper-housin'g portion of the machine support. The ram Ris reciprocated by the shaft 3 when the clutchis trippedand the'two partsof-the shaft are 7 connected together. In practi'ce, in punch' press machines, the clutch used is of a one revolution automatic throwout type well known in the art so that the ram is moved-downwardly and-back to'its upper position in' asingle-reciprocation of the part of the shaft-3450 whichconnected'and such reciprocation is secured through either 'an eccentric or crank connectionbetween' the upper endof the ram and the shaft 3. The punch or other tool which is to 7 act "upon the work below the lower end of the ram is secured-to -an-d extends downwardly from the lower endof theram 111- the usual manner.

Underneath the ram a horizontal tablet is provided, over which a disk-like carrier-or'dial -9 circular in outline is mo'untedfor rotation-about a vertical axis, and may have a plurality of consecutive vertical openings I 0 equally spaced, Withthecenters of all of the openings III in a circle of common radius. The circular disk mem her 9- at its peripheral edge is formed with a channel "groove and, at spaced-intervals across the groove, vertical pins II are secured-equal in numher to the number of the openings ill-and equally spaced in a sequential series. Above the inner or 4 rear portion of the table 8 a support I2 is provided either securely connected to the table 8 or formed integral therewith, and which embraces the inner portion of the disk member 9 at its rear and opposed sides.

A dog I3 (Fig. 4) having a substantially semicircular recess at its free end to conform to a pin II is pivotally connected at one end 'to'a slidable bar I5 and is spring actuated so that its free end normally rides against the bottom of the groove in which the pins II are located and will, in the rotation of said disk 9 in a counter-clockwise direction (Fig. 4), at its free end pass over said pins in succession. -At the opposite side a latching dog I4 is slidably mounted, and at the rear of the'disk carrier! a bar I5 is slidably mounted in parallelism substantially to the latching or holding dog I 4. On the frame extension I2 a second dog 13a is pivotally mounted at one end, and is likewise spring actuated to enter the groove in which the pins 'I I are located. It will be apparentthat on a movement of the bar I5 to theleft (Fig. 4) and with the free end of the dog carried by said barback o'fa pin II the disk or dial carrier'9 is turned counter-clockwise, provided .the holding dog 1| 4 hasbeen moved to the left to.permit such movement.

The holding orlatching 'dog 14 is moved by .a lever I6 pivotally mounted between its endsan'd at oneend rockably'connecte'd with'the dog (l4. At its other end it passes between two spaced apart pins I'I extending vertically :from the :bar I5. When the bar. I5 (Fig. '4) ismoved to the right the dogl3 carried thereby i moved with it, leaves the pin II with which it has .:been previously engaged and rides over the nextsucceeding pin substaritiallyat the.limitof movement o-fthe bar I5'to the right. Thepin. I'Latthe leftof the lever Ifienga'ges against it,:-and moves said lever and withdraws the latching dog I4 which thereupon remains inits withdrawn position until the bar I5 has been moved back totheleft to its initial starting'position. 'In such movement-to the left the dog I3' carried by the bar l5, pressing at its free end against a pin II, turns the dial-:9 counter-clockwise and to a a position such .that when the pin I! at the right of (lever It comes against said lever, the holding dog II; will be moved intothe' path of movement of a pin I Land prevent turning of the article carrying disk member-9 beyond a predetermined'position;andthe dog I3a will ride over and-be back of another of the pins I l, which hold the member 9 from'movement in the oppositedirection. Therefore, the article carrying :dial that each time that it'is turned in periodic step by step movements-with the reciprocation of the Operating bar I-5 therefor, brings an articlewhich is tobe processed. to a predeterminedposition underneath the lower end of the ram'R, and sa'iddial 9 with said article while it is beingprocessed is securely held against movement, but is freed for-movement by withdrawing the holding dog I4 immediatelyprior to the succeeding reciprocatory movement of the bar I5-which actuates and'turns the dial 9.

On a suitable bracket I 8 extending upwardly ton rod 24 which extends downwardly and into a vertical cylinder 25. The piston rod 24 is provided with the usual piston within the cylinder 25 and by entering a pressure fluid alternately into the opposite ends of the cylinder 25, shaft I9 is rocked back and forth and the actuating bar reciprocated. The control of the passage of the pressure fiuid t the opposed ends of the cylinder will be hereafter described. At the center of the disk member 9 a circular hub 26 is located around the center of which the member 9 turns. A vertical post 2'! is secured at its lower end to the hub 26 and at th outer edge of the disk a second vertical post 28 is secured on the support l2. Between them a shield 29, substantially rectangular in shape, is mounted on clips 30 which have suitable bearings through the upper ends of the posts 21 and 28 so that the shield may turn about a horizontal axis. The loading of the carrier 9 at the openings lil therein, with the carrier turning in a counter-clockwise direction, is at the front of said disk. If through any inadvertence the shield is engaged by the hand of the machine attendant it will be at its lower portion and the shield will be turned about such horizontal axis. A bar 3| is secured to the pivot shaft of the outer clip 30, outside of the post 28, and when the shield 29 is located in a vertical position (Fig. 6) the lower end of the bar 3| will engage with and hold a valve in the pressure control conducting system in an open position to permit flow of the pressure fluid used. But if theshield is turned away from its vertical position the arm 3| is disconnected from said valv releasing it to shut oil flow of a pressure fluid past it.

A vertical cylinder 32 is disposed underneath the table 8 and has a vertical piston rod 33 extending upwardly through said table, being guided at its upper end therein. Said cylinder i 32 is connected with the flow lines or pipes which carry the pressure fluid utilized and, as will be" later described, pressure fluid is alternately carried to the upper and lower ends of the cylinder to reciprocate the rod 33. Said rod in its upward movement kicks or knocks out of anopening at, ID, the work which has been previously processed by a punch carried by the ram R.

Another cylinder 34 (Figs. 3 and 6) is provided with a piston rod 35 extending therefrom toward the crank shaft of the punch press. The reciprocation of rod 35, in one direction of its movement trips the one revolution clutch so as to connect the two parts of the shafts 3 together for a complete reciprocatory movement of the ram R. As will also be later described, pressure fluid is conducted to th upper end of the cylinder 34 for forcing it in a downward and outward direction (Fig. 3) to trip the clutch, the return of the piston within the cylinder 34 being by reason of its connection to the crank shaft of the punch press.

At the end of the part of the shaft 3, which is periodically turned through one revolution by the continuously driven portion of the shaft through the clutch connection described, a cam 36 is secured having at one side an outwardly extending radially disposed projecting portion 36a as shown in Figs. 1 and 6.

The pressure fluid used in the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1 is compressed air or equivalent compressed gaseous fluid, The

compressed air is furnished from any suitable 3 6, supply source to and is carried through a pipe conduit 31 which leads to a valve housing 38 in which a piston valve 39 is mounted (Fig. 6) normally acted upon by a spring as shown to move thevalve to a position across the entrance end of the pipe 3! into the valve housing. The valve 39 has a .rod 40 extending therefrom through the inner end of the housing 38 and which may be supplied with a roller at its outer free end located in the path of movement of the outer end of the reciprocating actuating bar |5.. When said bar is at its furthermost limit of travel in one direction, toward the valve housing 38, its end, engages against the roller carried by ,the rod 4|], and moves the piston valve 39 against its spring to a position which. uncovers the inlet end of the pipe 37 and also uncoversthe outlet end of a pipe 4| connected with the housing 38 opposite the end of the pipe 31.

The pipe 4| leads to a second valve housing 42 in which a similar piston valve 43, spring actuated in the same manner, is mounted. From the valve 43 a rod44 extends outwardly in axial alinement with a solenoid winding 45. The armature 46 actuated by the energizing of the solenoid 45 is in alinement with the rod 44. The solenoid when a current passes therethrough, and it is energized, projects its armature 46 against the end of the rod 44 and moves the valve 43 to the position shown in Fig. 6 against its spring to uncover th end of the pipe 4| leading into the housing 42.

'lwo circuit wires 41 and 48 lead from the opposite ends of the solenoid winding 45, and in one ofysaid wires, for example the one shown at 48, a -switch 49 is mounted which is moved to a closed position by a slidably mounted pin 50 and which only is moved so as to close the switch at 49 when a pin comes to it and moves it outwardly. Thus the solenoid will not be energized except with the dial article carrier 9 at a position such that the work which is to be processed,

carried at one of the openings ID, is at exactly itsright position underneath the ram B. At all other times the switch at 49 is open and the spring acting upon the valve 43 moves the armature 46 into the solenoid 45 with a movement of the piston valve 43 to a position blocking flow of compressed air through the housing 42 from pipe 4| to an outlet pipe 5| connected at oppositeslde of the housing 42 The pipe 5| leads from the valve housing 42 to an additional valve housing 52, having a like piston valve 53 therein, and from which a rod 54 extendswith a suitable roller or other element at its free end to engagethe lower end of the previously described bar 3| connected with the shield 29. When the shield 29 is in its vertical position and the bar 3| in a corresponding position, valve 53 is moved downwardly against its spring, as shown, and the valve is inoperative to obstruct the passage or flow of compressed air through the housing 52 to a pipe 55 which leads from the opposite side of the housing 52 to the upper end of the previously described cylinder 34., Therefore, with the shield in vertical position the pressure fluid which operates the piston rod 35 to trip the punch press clutch has a free passageto the cylinder 34, but if the shield is turned by inadvertent or other pressure, as by a striking against its lower portion by the hand oi the press attendant, the valve at 53 is moved upwardly by, its spring to close oil passage of compressed air to the cylinder 34, and the punch press clutch cannot be tripped and the press ram 7- reciprocated. untiltheshieldis back inits vertical position.

A branch pipe :56 .is connected with i the. main pneumatic pressure line .31 ahead of the first valve .housing..38 .(Fig...6), for conducting com.-.

pressed airinto the main control valve-housing 51 )within which the ma-incontrol valve is lo.- cated. Such main. control .valve includes a cylindrical intermediate portion 58,...ateach end of which a shorter and larger .diameter collar 59 is located,. and beyond .each of Y thecollars 59, a secondv collarlfill of the same diameter is disposed, spaced short distances from the collars .59, and providing continuous annular. grooves around the valvebetween said collars '59 and 60. Between the .twoinner collars 59 a wide annular groove orispace is provided. This main valve-is mountedina cylindrical chamber within the housing 51 and its over-all length is less than the length .of such chamber. The interior diameter .of the chamber is substantially though very slightly larger than the-diameter of the-collars 59and 60.

Substantially midway between the ends of said valve chamber, a port 61 leads from the space between the collars 59 andhas branches 62 extending oneto each end of the valve chamber, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig.5. At the oppositeside of the housing--51 and inter-iorly thereof, two recesses 63 are made spaced from each other substantially the same distance apart that thercollars 59. are spaced, and from -which two pipes 64 and 65 lead one to the upper end of the knock out cylinder 32 and the other to the lower end of said cylinder.

A branch pipe-85 leadsto the upper end of the cylinder 25 from the pipe 54. Another branch pipe 6! leads from the pipe-S to valve housing 68 which is divided by a Z-shaped partition 68a. into two chambers, the partition has two openings .therethrough, one ina vertical leg of the partition (as shown in Fig. 6) and the other in the horizontal web. The first mentioned opening has associated with it a ball valve -69 yieldingly held in place by a-spring, and the other opening is'opened to agreater or less degree for the efiective passage of compressed air by a screw 70 passing through the upper side of the valve housingand at its inner end reachingto or very closely to the webof'the partition. The pipefi'lcarries compressed air to one of the chambers of the housing 68, which passes throughthe ball valve closed opening in the partition, forcing the valveaway from the opening, and thence to the lower :end of the cylinder 25 through pipe II. When the'ai-r is exhausted from the lower part of-thecylinder 25 it must pass through the opening, the area of passage of which is controlled by the screw 10. -From the valve housing 5 7, twospaced pipes 1-2 and 73 extend as shown opposite the pipes 64 and 65, joining together to connect with a commonpipe it which at one side is opened to the outside atmosphere for exhaust purposes, the exhaust being diagrammatically indicated at 15. Theopposite end of pipe 74 hastwo branches 16 and T! which lead to an additional valve housing 18 having an interior chamber-in which a piston valve l9'is located. The-branches 16 and 11 connect with: the valve chamber at opposite ends thereof so that when the valve is is at one end of the chamber it closes passage to one of the pipes I6 or 17, leaving the other open, and when at theopposite end of the chamber closes ofi' the otherpipe and. opens passage to the one previously closed.

L'Ihe piston valve [9 is normally held at oneend of its chamber in the housing {18, a rodilfl being connected to the valve 19 and extending through the housingand; acted upon by a coiled spring ;8l to .move the valve. In the diagramin Fig. the valve It is shown at the lower end of the chamber 18, closing off any passage through branch "H5 but with the branch 11 in free communication with thechamber. Rod 80 at its outer end is equipped with a roller which bears against cam 36 and follows it by reason of the spring 8] so that the valve 19 is normally moved by spring =8! to upper position and is forced to lower position when the projecting portion 36a of the cam rides against said roller.

Two pipes 62 and 83 are connected one to each end of the valve housing 51 for communication with the opposed ends of the chamber therewithin. The pipe 82 at its opposite end is connected with the valve housing '38 to communicate with the upper portion with the chamber within it, and the pipe 83 is connected with said housing 18 to communicate with the lower part of such chamber as shown in Fig. 6. The piston Valve "19 in lower position is interposed between the end of the branch l6 and the pipe 83. When in its upper position it is between the ends of the pipe '82 and the branch 11.

Operation With the control exclusively by compressed air.

or other equivalent gaseous 'fiuid under pressure the parts as diagrammatically shown in Fig.6 are in the positions to which they have been brought immediately before a tripping of the punch press clutch to operate the ram occurs. In such position the reciprocating bar i5 is moved so as to open the valve 39, a pin H on the dial 9 operates the pin 59 to close the switch at 49 thereby opening the valve 13, and the valve 54 is'maintained open all of the time that the shield 29 is in vertical position. Accordingly, there is a free passage for compressed air through the main pipe'3'7 to thecylinder-id to move rod 35 to trip the clutch. In such initial .position the piston in cylinder 25 is at the lower end of the cylinder and similarly the piston in cylinder 32 is at its lower end. There is a clear exhaust line for air from below the piston in cylinder 25 through the pipe I 1 past the opening controlled by screw valve 70, through the pipe 67 to the pipe 65; pipe 6551s directly connected to the lower end of cylinder 32 for exhaust therefrom. The exhaust air, therefore, from the'lower parts of both cylinders enters the valve housing 57 between the collars 59 and 60 at the right, and passes out through the branch l3 and is thence exhausted at ?5. It isalso apparent that with the valve 19 in its lower position, as shown in Fig.6, there is a line of connection from the left hand end of the chamber in the housing 5] through the pipe 8-2, thence through-the housing It and pipe TI to the exhaust; and there being a pressure connection through the port 6| and the branch 62 at the right compressed air at the right hand end of the valve within the casing 57 moves saidvalve to the position shown. In the position of such valve as shown, compressed air through the branch 56 is directed through the pipe 64 and its branch'fifi to the upper ends of cylinders 25 and 32, moving them downwardly and forcing the-air below the pistons 25 and 32outwardly through the exhaust at 15, to carry the reciprocating bar E5 to theleft to open the valve- 39 which, whenever the reciprocating bar I is away therefrom, is in closed position. Upon the punch press clutch being tripped, the cam at 36 moves torelease rod 80 and valve 19. Valve 19 moves to its'upper position uncovering the inner ends of pipes 16 and 83, thereby connecting the pipe 83 with the exhaust and closing the pipe 82 at its end where connected to the housing 18. Thereupon the compressed air conducted through the branch 56, port 6|, to the branch 62 at the left and into the chamber of the housing 51 at the left hand end of, the valve, moves it to the opposite end of the chamber, closing off the recess at 63 at the left by the adjacent collar 59 so that compressed air cannot pass through the pipes 64, but instead passes through the pipe 65 and its branches, whereupon the pistons in cylinders 25 and 32 are moved upwardly, and the exhaust air in said cylinders above said pistons passes through the pipe 64 and its branch 66 and through the pipe at 12 to the exhaust. This moves the actuating bar I5 to the right away from the valve 39, releasing said valve, and moving bar I5 to a position where theactuating dog I3 carried by it is brought behind the next succeeding pin I I, and the holding or locking dog I4 (Fig. 4) is withdrawn to permit'a turning of the dial 9 upon the return of the actuating bar to its extreme position to the left in Fig. 6, a simultaneous return of the holding dog I4 to its operative position.

There is thus provided a periodic step by step turning movement of the dial 9 automatically occurring at regularly timed intervals. The time is controlled by the position of the screw 16 with respect to the opening through the partitions 68a, the time passage of air through such opening being controlled by the position of the screw. The upward movements of the pistons in both cylinders 25 and 32 is rapid, being unchecked except by what back'pressure may be generated in the pipes and passages leading from the upper ends of said cylinders to the exhaust, therefore the movement of the reciprocating bar I5 to the right (Fig. 4) is rapid. But the return movement of said reciprocating bar controlled by the piston in cylinder 25may be either controlled to any speed between a maximum and minimum, dependent upon the rapidity of exhaustion of air from below the piston in cylinder 25 through the partition at 68. Thus the movement of the dial is controllable within a wide range of speeds of turning movement, permitting such turning to be controlled in accordance with the time required to load the dial wtih the articles which are to be processed. The knock-out or kick-out movement, both in its upward working stroke and its downward return stroke, is not checked and both reciprocatory movements of the rod 33 are at substantially the same speed. 7

The driving of the flywheel by the motor is separately and independently controlled as to speed by controlling the speed of the motor without reference to the dial operation.

If, as previously described, the valve 53 is released by movingthe shield 29 out of its vertical position, the ram of the punch press cannot be connected with the power which operates it until the shield is returned. And if the dial is not moved to a proper position to bring an article which is to be processed directly at its required position underneath the die carried by the ram, then the valve 43 closes off the passage of air to the cylinder 34 and the press will not operate. As soon as the clutch is tripped and the proper connection made between the power and the ram the release of valve 19 causes, as described, the movement of the dial actuating bar [5 away from the valve 39, so that it closes off passage of compressed air to the cylinder 34 and the press clutch cannot be again tripped until the valve 39, and also valve 43 are moved to open positions as in Fig. 6. I A stopping of the machine operation of course may be obtained by shutting off the supply of compressed air to the pipe 31.

The control of the dial movement is not necessarily restricted to the use of pneumatic pressure but ias diagrammatically shown in Fig. 7, a combined pneumatic and hydraulic operation may be used. The tripping of the clutch through the rod 35 with the valves in the housings 38,42 and 52 open is by compressed air or other equivalent compressed gaseous fluid passing through the pipe 31 and through the several pipes 4I,5I and 55 when, as controlled by the turning of cam 36, the valves named are all in open position.

The operation of the main control valve within the housing 51 is by means of a closed hydraulic circuit; and the operation of the pistons in cylinders 25 and 32 is by a liquid under pressure instead of compressed air. Some modification in structure of the control valves is made. For example, the mainvalve within the chamber of housing 51 has its intermediate and end collars 59 and 68 spaced substantially equal distances apart. The valve within the upper valve housing 18 is of a modified construction having a lower head '84 and an upper collar spaced therefrom, with rod 88 extendingoutwardly and actuated by the spring 8| as previously described, the roller at the upper end of rod 80 riding against cam 36. The pipes 83 and 62 where connected to the valve housing 18 are connected by two forks or branches 86 and 81 respectively, the entrance ends being spaced short distances from each other. A pipe 88, connects the lower end of the chamber of the housing 18 directly with the intermediate chamber between collars 59 within the control valve housing 51. The pipes 64 and 65 are branched or forked where they are connected with the lower side of the housing 51 as shown at 89 and 90.

A conducting pipe 9| is connected with the housing 19 atitsupper end to communicate with the chamber therein above the collar 85, and at its other end is connected to a main liquid pressure supply pipe 92 which, at one end, connects to the pipe 88 previously described and at its other end is connected with a pump 93, the housing of which has an intake pipe 94 in connection with an oil supply tank or sump 95. The oil is pumped from the tank 95 and forced through pipe 92 as indicated by the arrow. Return of the oil or other liquid used to the tank 95 is through a pipe 96 which has a fork or two branches 91 at its end where it connects with valve housing 18 above the forks 61 of the pipe 82. A branch 98 joins with the pipe 96 and has two leads or branches therefrom extending to the valve housing 51, in'communication with the chambers between the end collars 60 and the intermediate collars 59 of the-main control valve. The pipes 64 and 65 connect with opposite ends of the cylinder 32 and a branch pipe 66 from the pipe 64 connects with the upper end of the cylinder 25 with a branch pipe 61, valve housing 68 with ball and manually operated screw valve 18 therein, and pipe 1| being associated and connected wit the lower end of thecylinder 25.

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 7, the liquid under pressure produced by the pump through its upper branch 8T.

within the'housing I8 is released by the move- I8, and to the central chamber between the collarsfifi in the housing 'I. Also oil under pressure is directed at the upper end of'the pipe 88 into the lower end of the housing 70 against the lower'piston 84. Such oil' under pressure passes out of the housing 57 into the pipe 64 and its branch -60 to the upper ends of'the pistons and 32. The main control valve within the casing 5? has been moved toi the left by oil pressure through the pipe 91 and thence through the pipe 83, and oil at the opposite end of the main control valve has been exhausted from the housing 51 through pipe 82 to the annular space between the piston 84 and collar 85 andthence outwardly through the return pipe 95 by reason of the lower branch or fork at 91, the oil flowing from the pipe 82 When the valve ment of the prOjectiOn 36a of cam 36, oil will pass from the pipe 92 into thepipe 88 and thence upwardly into the lower end of cylinder IS theretrom through the lower branch of pipe 82 and against the left end of the main. control valve,

while the oil in the chamber at the right end of the main control valve will be forced outwardly through pipe 83', the branch 86 and thence through the upper branch of the pipe Sit.

With the main control valve in the position shown in Fig; 7, and with oil or other hydraulic liquid forced into the upper end of cylinders 25 or 32, oil below the pistons therein will be forced out through the pipe 65 and the connection including the pipe 6'1 H and valve housing 68 into the chamber at the left between collars tiland t0 and exhausted through the pipe 98 and its branch I00 to return pipe 96.

When the va-lve58' is moved over to the other end of the housing 51, that is, to the right, connection between the pressure line 92 and the pipe 64 is broken or closed off, and is opened with the pipe 65, whereupon the liquid under pressure is conducted to the lower end of the cylinders 25 and 32 with an upward movement through pipes 98 and 99- and the main return pipe line 96.

The turning operation of the dial instep by step periodic movement and with the control of the time, also the operation of the knock-out or kick-out rod are the same as with the full pneumatic construction previously described. The hydraulic circuit is a closed circuit and there is a saving of compressed air and in some respects the hydraulic operationof turning the dial is of a more assured and smoother character. The principle of operation and the mechanism in general arevery similar.

In Figs. 2, 8, 9 and 10, the circular dial for carrying the articleto be processed and a step bystep turning thereof, is replaced by an endless conveyor, with a step by step movement of the conveyor.

Over a table I 0'I (Fig. 10) the upper run of an endless conveyor I02 passes from front to rear --around spaced upper'idle sprockets I03 and I04 and a rear lower drive sprocket I05. A plurality of transverse plates I06 each with an opening at in. The shield 29 is-mounted to turn about'aveyor chain being securedtospaced lugs I08 extending outwardly from the. conveyor. Directly underneath the ram Rand the punching dieca-rried thereby is a base I09 mounted upon the-table IOI. Each of the plates I06 midway itsside' edges and at one side has a triangular notch IIO therehorizontal axis on posts 21 and 28 carried by the table IOI (Fig. 9). The guards at III and H2 cover the rear and front portions of the upper run of the conveyor and thefront portion of the lower run thereof to protect thepunch press attendant from injury;

A cylinder II3- (Fig. 2)" has a piston therein with a piston rod I I4' extending outwardly at its upper end and connecting at its free end with an arm H5 which, through a suitable one-way operating clutch mechanism, including a driving dog H6 and spaced pins I-I'I, turns the drivingsprocket I05 in periodic step by step movements on the upper reciprocation movements of rod I I4, moving the sprocket chain upon the outward movement of therod H4. The clutch is of an overrunningcharacter so that there is no movement of the driving sprocket upon retraction of the rod H4.

The housing 38, within which the piston valve 39 is mounted, has the rod 40 connected withthe valve therein interposed in the path of movement of the. arm I I 5 when it is moved to'its'uppermost position to thereby open the valve, the sam as the reciprocating bar I5opensit in the previously described structure at one extreme of. its movement, The switch at: 49 controlling the solennoid is in an operative position only when a notch III) on an articleholdin'g. plate I06 arrives at a proper position in which the article held by the plate is directly underneath thev processing punch therefor. The shield 29 has connected with one of its trunnions a horizontal arm H8 (Fig. 8) to hold the valve within the housin 52 in open position. Inasmuch as the movement of the article carrying plates I06 with the conveyor. will carry the finished or processed articles to the rear and automatically disengage them through gravity, the knock-out cylinder is not 7 needed.

The diagram shown in Fig. 8 is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 6 with the knockout. for the finished work eliminated, and with the step by step operationof the endless chain conveyor instead of an equivalent step by step turningmovement of the dial 9. Itis not necessary to repeat the operation of the control valves as there is identity with those previously described in connection with the structure and'diagram appearing in Fig. 6.

The endless chain conveyor type of structure may be subject to extension and lost motion. because of wear at the pivots of the connected links which may bring the openings. at I01 to slightly inaccurate positions with respect to the ram of the press, therefore, the punch carried by the ram may have its downward stroke out of proper alinement with the work which it is to process below it. To compensate and correct anything of this nature which may occur, pointed pins I I8 shown in Fig. 10 may be connected to and extend downwardly from the lower end of the ram for entrance into suitable openings H9 in the plates I06. The pins accordingly will properlylocate and orient the plates if'not in proper positiomso that bad or destructive work upon the work which is being processed is" safeguarded or insure against,

conveyor type of construction shown in Figs; 9

and 10, is concerned with the momentum attained in the movement, which unless a very positive stop is provided may carry a plate I06, comin underneath the ram of the press, to a positionin advance of where it should have stopped. In Figs. 11 to 13 inclusive the structure to insure the positive stop for such conveyor is shown. Th sprocket wheel I is bolted at the inner side of a cylindrical annularly grooved disk member I20, across the groove of which the spaced pins III are located. Said member I20 is keyed to a horizontal shaft I2I extending between and mounted at its ends in the sides I of the supporting frame structure for the machine. Member I20 has an extended hub or sleeve I2Ila at its outer side which passes loosely through the bottom of a cup shaped housing I22 which houses the member I26 within it and which carries the operating dog I III to successively engage with the pins III.

A ratchet wheel I23 is keyed to the projecting with or permanentlyconnected. A pin I24 extends outwardly from the bottom of the housing memberl22 and is rocked through an arc of a circle from the position shown in Fig. 11 to that shownin Fig. 12, being returned to the lower position at the end of a complete reciprocation of the piston rod I I4.

On a suitable supporting bracket I25 which is carried on the machine frame I. a dog I26 is pivotally mounted, normally actuated by a tension spring I21 so as to engag with the ratchet wheel I23.

On the movement of the piston rod II 4 into .the cylinder H3 (Fig. 2), the housing member 122 is rocked to move the dog IIB from one pin III to the next succeeding pin (Fig. moving ina counter-clockwise direction. The dog I26 is A short time before the extreme of such move- ,ment of the piston rod 114 is reached, the pin I24 will come against the under side of dog I26 (Fig.

12-), lifting it to disengaging position so that on the return or'upward reciprocatory movement of rod IIA and a rotation of the disk member I20 and sprocket wheel I05 connected therewith in a clockwise direction, caused by dog H6 pushing against the next succeeding pin III, the ratchet I23 is free for movement and may turn to move the tooth which has previously been engaged by the stop dog I26 underneath such dog, this occurring before pin I24 moves far enough away from the dog I26 in a clockwise direction to lower the dog to its operative position. Such move- -.ment of the pin I24 however will occur before the return of the upwardly and outwardly reciprocatory movement of the rod H4 is completed and dog I26, therefore, will be interposed in the path of movement of the next succeeding tooth of the ratchet wheel I23, stopping said wheel and the parts connected and governed by its movement, including the endless conveyor, at proper position.

The structure described is very practical and useful and with it a long desired control of the feeding of articles to an automatic punch press, independent of the power means used to drive it, has been attained with the many beneficial results which have been outlined and described.

engaged with a ratchet wheel I23 whereby the endless conveyor described remains motionless.

As; earlier mentioned, while the invention has been disclosed as of great utility in conjunction with automatic punch presses, the automatic feed of a dial type article carrying table, or of an endless article carrying conveyor, and their stopping at proper positions, with the numerous; safeguards described, is not restricted solely to punch presses but is of great utility in many other relations. Work which is to be processed by drilling in a drill press may be carried to the drilling station in the same manner, operated either by pneumatic or combined hydraulic and pneumatic means, the operator of the machine safeguarded against injury, the drill being brought to the work at the processing station of the machine similar to the movement of the punch in the punch press toward and into processing engagement with the work which it is to act upon. Therefore, the invention is not restricted to the one type of machine disclosed but, is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure comingwithin the scope of the appended claims defining the invention.

I claim:

1. In a construction as described, a horizontal support, a carrying member mounted for movement thereover, said carrying member having equally spaced means for the detachable carrying of articles to be processed, a cylinder, a piston rod extending from one end thereof, fluid means for reciprocating said rod, means interposed between said piston rod and said movable member for moving the member a predetermined distance, equal to the distances the articles carried by member are spaced, upon movement of said piston rod in one direction, said article carrying member remainin at rest on movement of the piston rod in the opposite direction, means for stopping said article carrying member at the completion of each movement thereof to accurately position articles carried thereby successively at a predetermined processing position, a processing member mountedfor vertical up and down movements at said predetermined position to process the articles in succession at such predetermined position, conducting means for carrying pressure fluid to opposite ends of the cylinder, means for actuating said processing memher in a downward direction followed by a return to an upper position, pressure fluid actuated means for tripping said last mentioned means to render it operative upon retraction of the piston rod into said cylinder and after an article has been moved to said predetermined position of processing, and means for automatically reversing the flow of pressure fluid from one end to the other of said cylinder rendered operative by the means actuating said processing member.

2. A construction asdefined in claim 1, and means obstructing the conducting means for pressure fluid to said tripping means, except when the article carrying means has been moved to carry an article thereon to said predetermined processing position, and freeing for passage of said pressure fluid when the article carrying means is at said position.

3. In combination, a horizontal support, a

horizontal dial mounted on said support to turn about a vertical axis, said dial at equallyspaced pressure: means: including conducting pipes, a power driven processingmember normally at rest: and adapted-to be trip connected with power driving: means: therefor, fluid: pressure operated means for, hip connecting said processing means with saiddriving means, articles carried by said dial being brought successively to a processing position for operation thereon by said process-,-

ingmeans, a valve in thepipe leadin to said trip means, means normally closing said valve to obstruct the pipe and means carried by the dial movingsaid'valve to open position only at the timeswhenan: article has been moved to a predetermined position with relation to said processing means for processing thereby.

4. A machine having: ahorizontal table, a horizontal carrying member-mounted to move over the table having a plurality of equally spaced article receiving stations, at each of which an article to; be processed may be detachably connected with said member; a cylinder, pipes for conducting fiuid pressure to opposite ends of the cylinder, a piston rod extending through one end of the cylinder and movable inward or outward as fluid pressureis-conducted-to one end or the other of said-cylinder, means interposed between said'piston rod and the movable carrying member formoving' said article carrying member upon longitudinal: movement of the piston rod in one direction-, said: article carrying member remaining at rest. onmovement of the piston rod in: the opposite direction, processing means movably mounted over said: article carrying member underneath which articles carried by said. carryin member successively pass and stop eachv at .apredetermined position. for processing operation thereupon, said processing- .member being normally atrest, acontinuously operative driving means therefor, meansfor periodically connecting-said driving means to actuate said processing member, valve means for reversing the flow oi pressure from one end of the cylinder to the other, and. means forv operating. said valve means in synchronism with the operation of said process. member.

5. In. combination, a movabl-y-mounted. carrying member having. a continuous series of equally spaced. means for the detachable connection of articles tov be processed, on said, carrying member, a cylinder, a piston rod reciprocable in the direction of, the length of the cylinder extending through one end thereof, means actuated by said piston rod for moving said carrier member a. distance equaLto the space between saidartiole holding means on said carrier member, means for alternatively conducting a. pressure fluid to opposite ends of the cylinder, including conducting pipes, the flow of fluid through one of. which will move said piston rod outwardly and through the other inwardly, valve means in one of said pipes permitting free flow of pressure fluid to said cylinder but regulating and restricting exhaust flow of fluid from the cylinder whereby the time elapsing between. movements of said carrier member may be selectively increased or decreased.

6. A construction as defined in claim 5 and automatic valve means for reversing the now of liquid to said cylinder at opposite ends thereof.

'7. In combination, a movably mounted carrying member having a continuous series of individualv article connecting. stations. equally spaced from each other, at eachof which an article may be detachably connected, a cylinder, pipe for carrying pressure fluid connected at opposite ends of the cylinder, a piston rod reciprocably mounted and extending through one end of said cylinder, means interposed between the piston rod and. said carrying member for moving said carrying member the distance of a space be.- tween each of said stations on the carrier memher on movement of the rod in one direction, said carrier member remaining atv rest when the rod: is. moving in the opposite direction, and ad,- justable valve means interposed in. one of. said pipes-to controlthemovement of said rodin said one directionto thereby govern the length of time of the return. of movement. of said rod.

8; In combination, a punch press having a horizontal. table, a movable article carrying member mounted to move over said. horizontal table, said member having a plurality of. equally spaced article receiving stations for carrying. articles to be processed, means for periodically moving said article carrying member a predetermineddistance to bring each of the articles carried by said member to a predetermined position at. which it may be. operated on by the punch press, a vertical ram adaptedto carry a tool for processing said articles in succession, driving means normally disconnected from the ram, fluid pressure operated means for trip connecting said driving means with the ram to thereby reciprocate said ram, means for rendering. said tripping means inoperative, except when anarticle carried by the article carrying member is accurately positioned underneath the ram. for processing by the tool thereby, a shaft with which said ram is connected for reciprocating said ram. upon rotation of theshaft, said trip means upon actuation thereof, connecting said driving mean with the shaft to turn it, said means for, periodically movin the article moving member including, a cylinder, a piston rod extendingoutwardly at one end of the cylinder, means for conducting fluid pressure connected with each end of the cylinder, an automatic valve, and means actuated by the rotation of said shaft for controlling said automatic valve for reversing the flow of pressure fluid from one end of said cylinder to the other as an article carried by said article carrying member is processed.

ARTHUR N. NYQUIST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

